Pragmatic Implications of Expanded Deictic Structures: Deixis as an Expression of the Concept of Face in the Spanish Parliament

Authors

  • Aurelia Carranza Márquez

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.12795/PH.2012.v26.i01.05

Keywords:

deictic expanded structures, political discourse, face, politeness, Spanish Parliament, neo-gricean

Abstract

This work concentrates on the pragmatic implications of the use of deictical expanded structures consisting on third person indexical structures in relation to first person referents in the Spanish political sphere. Particularly, we will analyze the structure este diputado (this member), (referent → I) and este grupo parlamentario (this parliamentary group), (referent → we) in the con- text of four different sessions in the Spanish Parliament held in 2004 referring to a variety of topics. Such use contrasts with the economy of language pre- cept of Grice and the neo-gricean approach, which advocate for the priority of efficiency and economy in communication from a linguistic and philosophical point of view. The neo-gricean perspective concluded that micro and macro discursive structures should be considered (text and context) for an appropriate interpretation. In this sense we will focus on those factors and instruments of politeness, as well as of relevance, that may help to target the role of this partic- ular use of deixis in political discourse. We maintain that it is connected to the concept of face (Brown and Levinson, 1987; Goffman, 1967), and it is aimed at the obtaining of authority and positive values of the speaker. However, in some cases, they cause a segregation effect towards the opponent, who is attributed negative values by contrast.

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Published

2012-11-15

How to Cite

Carranza Márquez, A. (2012). Pragmatic Implications of Expanded Deictic Structures: Deixis as an Expression of the Concept of Face in the Spanish Parliament. Philologia Hispalensis, 26(1). https://doi.org/10.12795/PH.2012.v26.i01.05

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